Short Takes

SAVE MONEY ON CONDITIONER!

Apparently, everyone out there suffering from dry hair can correct the problem by switching pillowcases. To wit: “Use an absorbent cotton pillow case for sleeping, and you run the risk of drying out naturally produced moisture from your head and face. Instead, choose a glossy, durable and colorful pillowcase from Neero & Ana and you’ll find more hair on your head and skin that looks nourished.” We have no idea if research supports this finding, but they seem to think that a satin pillowcase will solve the problem. Lucky for us they sell them at Neero-Ana.com. And if silky hair’s not enough of an incentive, there’s this: “The results of the Satin Slumber Collection have been praised by the medical community as well, for the enhanced treatment of Hepatitis C, alopecia and chemotherapy.” Why, it’s a Miracle! Or not.

OUR KIND OF FOLKS

We take some occasional heat here at Brandweek Central for our overly obsessive neatness. (Personally, we think they’re just jealous.) So we were quite pleased to hear that the National Association of Professional Organizers has named a new president. We don’t really care anything about her; we were just pumped to know such an organization even existed. And what do they do? “The National Association of Professional Organizers is the premier national association dedicated to the field of organizing. The nonprofit group … has become known as The Organizing Authority. Dedicated to serving its nearly 4,000 members through education, networking, industry resources and promoting the profession to the public, NAPO's mission is to develop, lead and promote professional organizers and the organizing industry.” Wow, we think we finally found our calling! Details for the like-minded obsessives among you can be found at NAPO.net

TRULY THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

Our good friends at Kohler Co., makers of kitchen and bath necessities, have outdone themselves this time. They’re marketing a high-end (no pun intended) toilet seat that has everything you never even knew you wanted in such a throne. With a built-in bidet-like feature, “….in addition to two cleansing wands providing warm aerated water, the C3 toilet seat also features a heated seat with three temperature settings; a warm-air fan for partial drying; a lighted bowl that eliminates the need to turn on a light at night; a deodorizer that minimizes unpleasant odors; a Quiet-Close seat/cover that prevents slamming; and Quick-Release hinges to easily remove the seat for cleaning.” If you can just get beyond the idea of sitting, buck nekkid, on something that’s electrified, near water, you’ll be fine. Treat yourself royally and check it out at Kohler.com. Click on the button that reads “Controls.” So many choices!

SPEAKING OF HIGH-END NAMES

It’s been awhile since we heard from Donald Trump’s people (And we KNOW you read this newsletter, Big Guy. Admit it!), but they came through today with yet another branded item bearing the Trump seal of approval. To wit: “Trump Home floor fashion will debut at the Atlanta International Rug Market, July 15-18, 2007. … The floor fashion collections consist of superior quality, hand tufted and hand woven pieces, which have been designed to create high-end appeal at an affordable price point. Crafted from New Zealand wool and incorporating silk highlights, the attention to detail in the design and materials is reflected in two Trump Home collections: Westchester and Central Park.” Sounds nice, but we can’t help but notice how studiously they almost completely avoided using the word “Rugs.” What? We’re just sayin’.

WHO LEFT GRANDMA OUT ON THE PORCH?

We keep getting pitches for death-related products, and we continue to be amazed at how good marketers are at identifying ever-newer niches within this arena. Today’s offering comes courtesy of LifeSong Urns.com, which is selling wind chimes designed to hold a cremated loved one’s ashes. (We now pause for JUST a moment to contemplate how ANYONE could have thought this up. The mind boggles.) The idea is simple, really; Buy the wind chime, dump the ashes in there, seal it up and hang it somewhere. Every time you hear the chimes sounding, you think of the dead person within. Brrrrrr! But you have to have REALLY liked them; The thing goes for $295 plus shipping. Back on the shelf, Nana.

WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL OUR LIFE?

Do you Jig-A-Loo? It’s a question you might hear more and more as Canadian company Jig-A-Loo ramps up marketing efforts for its namesake product. (With thanks to faithful reader Rachel T.-M. for the tipoff.) Apparently the product is a combination lubricant, water repellant, rust inhibitor and more. But what’s really going to garner them some ink is their Jigaloo.com Web site, which features some strange “demo” links along with odd music. Not sure whom they’re appealing to, but it’s sufficiently strange that it’s poised for a takeoff. And in these days of jaded Web surfers, “odd” wins over “common” every time.

WHAT'S NEXT, LOVE BEADS?

Got word recently of yet another niche Web site launching, this time for that old 1970s staple, the bean-bag chair. For those too young to recall, a bean-bag chair was de rigueur for any self-respecting hipster’s apartment back then (Or so we’ve been told), and now the Bean Bag Zone has updated the look with a complete line of styles and colors. While those of a certain age might think its time has come and gone, a visit to to the site shows a surprisingly well-rounded assortment of chairs. And something else has been updated as well; the prices. A seven-foot chair for two, for $309? That’s a lot of beans.

ATTACK OF THE SHOWER CURTAIN!

Rumor has it that some people get surrounded by a billowing shower curtain during their morning ablutions. For those who do, the solutions are many: Wet the ends of said curtain and stick it to the tile; buy a shower curtain liner with those little magnets attached at the bottom, so it clings to the tub wall; or, buy a new Shower Bow. The Shower Bow consists of a one-pound pivoting weight that attaches to the curtain rod, with an arm that extends across the curtain, keeping it way from your skin while you wash. You can see an informative slide-show at the Shower Bow site to get the full idea. Or, you could save 30 bucks and just crack the bathroom window a bit to equalize the air pressure and prevent the billowing. Your call.

UNIQUE PROMO CAMPAIGN TOUTS "SHOWERING TOGETHER"

Coastal Industries in Jacksonville, Fla., basically makes shower doors, even though they call them “Customizable shower enclosures.” Whatever. Still, we can sympathize with their newest marketing effort, trying to get the word out about a “bathroom revolution,” insisting that everyone but you is putting in—and enjoying—bigger showers at home. It can’t be an easy sell, but this part of their release caught our eye: “We've noticed an increasing amount of showers with dual controls and shower heads, designed to help working couples get to work in a timely fashion.” Wait; couples are showering together in the morning to save time?? (Note to self: Bring this up with spouse upon arrival home tonight.) We suddenly Love Coastal Industries.

JUST HOW LAZY ARE YOU? (CHAPTER 3)

Got a pitch for a new laundry product today that had us asking, “Do I really need this?” It’s called “dropps,” which is an acronym for “Dissolvable, Ready-to-use, Organic, Premeasured Packet.” So far, so good, but this line in the release had us going, Huh?: “Dropps comes in half-ounce packets, eliminating the tedious task of measuring out just the right amount of detergent.” Last time we did a load, we unscrewed the cap, filled it to the line, and dumped it in the washer. Tedious? Hardly. Judge for yourself at dropps.com